17 hours ago
- Switch statements can compile to jump tables, but compilers often use more clever optimizations like arithmetic or bitmasks.
- For dense case values, compilers may build lookup tables or use bitmasks to avoid branches entirely.
- For sparse values, compilers may use binary search trees of comparisons or fall back to conditional branches.
- Different compilers (e.g., GCC vs Clang) employ different optimization strategies for switch statements.
- Programmers should write clear switch statements and trust the compiler to choose the best implementation.